Baskets of wire and sheet metal construction



Aug. 11, 1964 c. s. GLENNY BASKETS OF WIRE AND SHEET METAL CONSTRUCTIONFiled Aug. 25, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,iai/iii!! 1 .ay MAeaAesr emv/wAoM//v/ffea m/x /5 @Myx c. s. GLENNY 3,144,161

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VENTO/2 2l am 4. n, a V L lfl. 7 wf @A 2%. 5/0` .I:A g

Aug. 1l, 1964 BASKETS OF WIRE AND SHEET METAL CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug.25, 1961 CLARE/VCE .5. GLE/VNY DECEASED HY MARGARET GLEN/VV AM/N/.STB

United States Patent O 3,144,161 BASKETS F WIRE AND SHEET METALCONSTRUCTION Clarence S. Glenny, deceased, late of Rockford, Ill., by

Margaret Glenny, administratrix, Rockford, Ill., assignor to TheWashburn Company, Worcester, Mass.,

a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Aug. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 135,704 2Claims. (Cl. 22m-19) This invention relates to a new and improvedcombination wire and sheet metal basket construction especially designedwith a view to solving the problems of locker baskets, which requirethat sufficient openings be provided for good ventilation of thecontents while` still preventing, or at least greatly reducing,pilferage.

In the earlier Patent 1,722,416, there was disclosed a wire basketconstruction incorporating sheet metal corner pieces bent to right angleform to reinforce the corners and discourage pilfering, but with so muchof the contents of the basket exposed to view at the end between thesheet metal corner pieces, there was too much danger of the wires beingcut and bent to provide large enough openings through which the contentsof the basket could be removed. It is, therefore, the principal objectof my present invention to provide sheet metal end walls having inwardlybent flanges on opposite sides to completely conceal the end portions ofthe wire side walls and bottom wall, these wire portions having rightangle bent ends welded by projection welding onto ribs pressed inwardlyfrom the sheet metal of the end walls at both sides and across thebottom portion and extending in transverse relationship to the rightangle bent ends of the wires, making a very strong end constructiondesigned to positively discourage pilfering. The right angle bent endsof the wires, when welded to the sheet metal end pieces on the ribs liesubstantially ilush against the inner sides of these end pieces and arenot, therefore, apt to catch onto articles put in the basket. Circularvent holes provided in the sheet metal end walls have their edgesoutwardly embossed to avoid cutting or abrading articles placed in thebasket that might otherwise be subject to damage in those ways whilealso improving the outside appearance of the basket. The points wherethe projection welds occur are also marked by uniformly spacedilattenings of the impressed ribs and that adds to the attractiveappearance of the basket, or at least does not detract therefrom, andthere being nothing to invite efforts to cut and bend so as to enlargean opening, as was true with the old design, this new basketconstruction is substantialy pilier-proof.

For further protection against pilfering, the sheet metal front wall mayhave the top portion thereof bent horizontally inwardly, and thisinwardly bent top portion is fastened at its opposite ends to the topframe by curling the portions around the frame and, if need be, weldingthe same thereto.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a locker basket made in accordance withmy invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are vertical sections through the front and rear ends ofthe basket with intermediate portions of each section broken away toconserve space and enable showing the parts on a larger scale;

FlGS. 4 and 5 are sectional details on the lines 4-4 or 5 5 of FIGS. 2and 3, respectively:

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another locker basket similar lto thatin FIG. 1 but including an inwardly bent top portion on the front wallfor further protection against pilferage; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are vertical sections through the front and rear endportions of the basket of FIG. 6 with intermediate portions in eachsection broken away to conserve space and enable showing the parts on alarger scale.

Similar reference numerals are applied. to corresponding partsthroughout the views.

Referring to the drawings and first of all to FIGS. 1 to 5, theinvention is shown embodied in a locker basket indicated generally bythe reference numeral 10, this being of the kind used around gymnasiums.Such baskets receive rough handling and when not reinforced properly,some fall apart and are unfit for further use, and, as pointed outabove, when such baskets are not constructed to prevent the spreadingapart of the wires, they are apt to be broken into and the contentspilfered. The basket 10, in accordance with my invention, has a sheetmetal front wall 11 and a sheet metal rear wall 12 but is otherwise ofwire construction in the side walls 13 and 14 and bottom wall 15, thesheet metal ends 11 and 12 being of identical form except for the gap 16at the middle of the upper end for extension of the eyelet or loop 17provided at the middle of the front end of the heavy wire top frame 18.Both of the sheet metal pieces 11 and 12 have inwardly bent side flanges19 on the opposite sides thereof and an inwardly bent flange 2i) at thebottom, and the ends of the side walls 13 and 14 and the bottom wall 15are enclosed by these three flanges, so that when the basket 1t) isdisposed in its compartment in a locker, the front end portions of thehorizontal wires 21 in the side walls 13 :and 14 are not usuallyvisible, even if the locker basket is pulled as far forward as the loop1'7 will permit, and the same is Itrue of the horizontal wires 22 in thebottom wall 15. Consequently, even if a would-be theif managed to getthe basket pulled out far enough from its compartment to expose the endportions of the wires 21 and 22, the small space left to the rear of theflanges 19 and 20 for working on the wires to spread them apart wouldmake the work too diilicult and the space would not be wide enough topermit removal of articles from the basket even if the flanges 19 and2li were bent out of the way to some extent. The wires 21 have laterallybent right angle end portions 23 and the wires 22 have upwardly bent endportions 24, and all of these end portions are welded to the sheet metalend pieces 11 and 12 by projection welding, the end pieces havingvertical inwardly impressed ribs 25 parallel to the llanges 19,extending in a transverse relationship to the bent ends 23 and weldedthereto at the points of intersection as indicated at 2d, and ahorizontally extending inwardly impressed rib 27 parallel to the bottomflange 2t) extending in transverse relationship to the upwardly bentends 24 and welded thereto at the points of intersection as indicated at28, whereby to make both ends of the basket extremely sturdy and rigidso as to withstand the roughest handling and also discourage pilfering.Ventilation holes 29 are provided in ample number in the end pieces 11and 12 to insure good ventilation, but all of these circular holes aresmall enough and spaced apart far enough to discourage breaking into thebasket, and it will be noticed that each of these openings is deiined byan outwardly bent frusto-conical flange 30 for reinforcement, theoutward bending or swedging of these flanges eliminating roughprojections on the inner side and thereby eliminating likelihood ofarticles placed in the basket being sculled or cut by contact with theseportions. The bent ends 23 and 24 of the wires 21 and 22, when welded tothe end pieces 11 and. 12, have their extremities in close abutment withthe end pieces as indicated at 31, so that there is no likelihood of anyarticles placed in the basket getting snagged thereon,

especially since these portions 23 and 24 are so close to the corners ofthe basket. The upper ends of the end pieces 11 and 12 are curled aroundthe opposite ends of the rectangular wire top frame 18, as indicated at32, and are suitably welded thereto to give further assurance againstpilfering. The abutting ends of the wire of frame 13 are indicated at 33in FIG. l and, hence, when the rear wall 12 is curled around and weldedto the rear portion of the frame 18, there is no danger of these ends ofthe wire frame being spread apart. The inward offsetting of the L-shapedend portions 34 of the wires 21 and -the upward offsetting of the L-shaped end portions 35 of the wires 22 is just enough to make theflanges 19 lie flush with the outer sides of the side walls 13 and 14and make the bottom flange 20 lie substantially ush .with the undersideof the bottom wall 15, thereby eliminating scufing of the edges of theflanges 19 and 20 on the locker compartment and eliminating wear andtear generally on anything that the basket is apt to come in contactwith while in service.

The wire basket indicated generally by the reference numeral in FIGS. 6to 8 is similar to the basket 10 just described, and corresponding partshave been nurnbered alike, but the sheet metal front piece 11 in thisbasket has a channel 36 formed transversely of its upper end in whichthe front end of the heavy wire top frame 18 is entered and suitablywelded, and there is a rearwardly extending top wall 37 defined as anextension of one side of the channel 36 to cover the top of the basketat the front end far enough inwardly from the front end to eliminate anylikelihood of pilfering in the event the basket lits rather loosely inits compartment in the locker, the channel 36 and top wall 37 beingnotched out as indicated at 16 in FIG. 6 to accommodate the loop 17lsimilarly as in the other construction. The top wall 37 has itsopposite ends curled around the side portions of the top frame 18 asindicated at 38 and suitably welded thereto to eliminate any likelihoodof these end portions being bent into inwardly offset relation to thebottom and -side walls enough to make the outer surfaces of said liangesflush with the outside of the bottom and side walls for smooth non-snagsliding of the basket, and these end portions also having their endsbent substantially at right angles and secured in abutment with theinner side of marginal portions of said sheet metal end walls adjacentsaid flanges, the said marginal portions of said end walls being offsetoutwardly enough to make the inner side of said end walls adjacent saidmarginal portions ush with the right angle bent ends of the wires toprovide relatively smooth inner surfaces on said end walls despite theright angle bent ends of the end portions of said horizontal wires.

2. A generally rectangular locker basket having opposed substantiallyvertical sheet metal front and back walls, a horizontal bottom wall ofwire construction and Opposed upwardly bent side walls of wireconstruction integral therewith, said wire walls includinglongitudinally extending wires that are disposed horizontally in thebottom and side walls, and transversely extending wires that aredisposed vertically in the side walls, and a generally rectangularhorizontal wire top frame, the

-` rear end of which has the upper end of the sheet metal i side wallsbeing also secured to the side portions of said a would-be thief pryingthis top wall upwardly with i respect to the top frame 18 and therebygaining access to the inside of the basket at the front end. Any openingthat might be enlarged in this fashion would not be large enough toenable removal of anything from the basket. Y

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding ofthe objects and advantages of the invention. The appended claims havebeen drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

What is claimed is:

1. A generally rectangular basket having opposed substantially verticalsheet metal end walls, a horizontal bottom wall of wire construction andopposed upwardly bent side walls of wire construction integraltherewith, said wire walls including longitudinally extending wires thatare disposed horizontally in the bottom and side walls, and transverselyextending wires that are disposed vertically in the side walls, and agenerally rectangular horizontal wire top frame, the opposed ends ofwhich have the upper ends of the sheet metal end walls secured thereto,and the opposed sides of which have the upper ends of verticallyextending wires of said side walls secured thereto, said sheet metal endwalls having flanges bent inwardly substantially at right angles theretoon the bottom and side edges thereof for reinforcement and also toprovide attaching portions that are secured in abutment with the outerside of the end portions of the horizontally extending wires of thebottom and side walls,

wire top frame, said sheet metal end walls having flanges bent inwardlysubstantially at right angles thereto on the bottom and side edgesthereof for reinforcement and also to provide attaching portions thatare secured in abutment with the outer side of the end portions of thehorizontally extending wires of the bottom and side walls, these endportions being bent into inwardly offset relation to the bottom and sidewalls enough to make the outer surfaces of said flanges ush with theoutside of the bottom and side walls for smooth non-snag sliding of thebasket, and these end portions also having their ends bent substantiallyat right angles and secured in abutment with the inner side of marginalportions of said sheet metal end walls adjacent said anges, the saidmarginal portions of said end walls being offset outwardly enough tomake the inner side of said end walls adjacent said marginal portionsush with the right angle bent ends of the wires to provide relativelysmooth inner surfaces on said end walls despite the right angle bentends of the end portions of said horizontal wires.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS307,215 Mullen Oct. 28, 1884 1,570,009 Sanders Jan. 19, 1926 1,722,416Glenny July 30, 1929 2,060,468 Mitchell Nov. 10, 1936 2,596,043 PikerMay 6, 1952 3,037,658 Schray June 5, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 706,965 FranceJuly 1, 1931

1. A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR BASKET HAVING OPPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL SHEET METAL END WALLS, A HORIZONTAL BOTTOM WALL OF WIRE CONSTRUCTION AND OPPOSED UPWARDLY BENT SIDE WALLS OF WIRE CONSTRUCTION INTEGRAL THEREWITH, SAID WIRE WALLS INCLUDING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING WIRES THAT ARE DISPOSED HORIZONTALLY IN THE BOTTOM AND SIDE WALLS, AND TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING WIRES THAT ARE DISPOSED VERTICALLY IN THE SIDE WALLS, AND A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR HORIZONTAL WIRE TOP FRAME, THE OPPOSED ENDS OF WHICH HAVE THE UPPER ENDS OF THE SHEET METAL END WALLS SECURED THERETO, AND THE OPPOSED SIDES OF WHICH HAVE THE UPPER ENDS OF VERTICALLY EXTENDING WIRES OF SAID SIDE WALLS SECURED THERETO, SAID SHEET METAL ENDS WALLS HAVING FLANGES BENT INWARDLY SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO ON THE BOTTOM AND SIDE EDGES THEREOF FOR REINFORCEMENT AND ALSO TO PROVIDE ATTACHING PORTIONS THAT ARE SECURED IN ABUTMENT WITH THE OUTER SIDE OF THE END PORTIONS OF THE HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING WIRES OF THE BOTTOM AND SIDE WALLS, THESE END PORTIONS BEING BENT INTO INWARDLY OFFSET RELATION TO THE BOTTOM AND SIDE WALLS ENOUGH TO MAKE THE OUTER SURFACES OF SAID FLANGES FLUSH WITH THE OUTSIDE OF THE BOTTOM AND SIDE WALLS FOR SMOOTH NON-SNAG SLIDING OF THE BASKET, AND THESE END PORTIONS ALSO HAVING THEIR ENDS BENT SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES AND SECURED IN ABUTMENT WITH THE INNER SIDE OF MARGINAL PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET METAL END WALLS ADJACENT SAID FLANGES, THE SAID MARGINAL PORTIONS OF SAID END WALLS BEING OFFSET OUTWARDLY ENOUGH TO MAKE THE INNER SIDE OF SAID END WALLS ADJACENT SAID MARGINAL PORTIONS FLUSH WITH THE RIGHT ANGLE BENT ENDS OF THE WIRES TO PROVIDE RELATIVELY SMOOTH INNER SURFACES ON SAID END WALLS DESPITE THE RIGHT ANGLE BENT ENDS OF THE END PORTIONS OF SAID HORIZONTAL WIRES. 